You’ve probably heard it before, “The insurance companies won’t raise my rates if I’m not at fault, so why does it matter anyway?” Well, the insurance you carry still matters, even in accidents where it isn’t your fault. Normally, when you’ve been in an accident that wasn’t your fault you’ll file a claim with the other party’s insurance company in order to receive compensation for the damages you’ve sustained. Then, the insurance company will send you a check in the mail for those damages. However, it’s not always so simple. In some cases, your insurance matters even when the accident wasn’t your fault.
In No-Fault States – Utah No-Fault Auto Insurance
In no-fault states, like Utah, your insurance will pay for the personal injury damages related to the accident regardless of who’s at fault. No-fault states require drivers to carry PIP insurance. PIP stands for “personal injury protection” and this pays for the cost of the medical bills resulting from injuries you sustained during the accident. In Utah, PIP covers up to $3,000 worth of injuries, although you can purchase more. Some states have other PIP minimum requirements. If you were in an accident, and it wasn’t your fault, it’s important that you have insurance so that your medical bills are covered. If the PIP runs out, and you still need treatment, you may need to file a claim with the other driver’s insurance.
The Other Driver May Not Have Insurance
Although you may be a good driver, the other drivers on the road may not be good drivers. Similarly, not every driver is going to have car insurance. If you’re injured in a car accident, and the cost of your injuries is greater than $3,000, you don’t want to be left holding the rest of your medical bills along with all of your property damages. Although the at-fault party is supposed to pay, there’s no way to make them pay if the money doesn’t exist. Having additional insurance for uninsured motorists can help you get the medical care you need even if the other party wasn’t insured.
The Other Driver May Not Have Enough Insurance
Some drivers may have insurance, but it may not be enough insurance to cover all the damages that the negligent party has caused. In Florida, for example, drivers aren’t even required to carry bodily injury liability insurance! This means that the injured party would have to personally sue the at-fault party if they sustained any injuries that exceed the cost of their PIP insurance, assuming that the at-fault party didn’t carry bodily injury insurance. If you’re injured by another driver, and they don’t have enough insurance to cover the cost of your medical bills, having an underinsured motorist policy is critical to making sure you can cover your medical expenses.
When there isn’t enough insurance to cover the cost of your accident-related damages, you can get additional compensation through your underinsured motorist policy. In most states, making a claim on your own policy due to someone else’s negligence, either because they were uninsured or underinsured, will not count as an adverse claim on your insurance, and should not raise your insurance premiums.
You’re Legally Required to Have It Utah – No-Fault Auto Insurance
If you’ve financed your car, there’s a good chance that the bank you financed it with an institution that mandates that you carry insurance. If you don’t get car insurance, the bank could put force-placed insurance on your car. Force-placed insurance is estimated to be around four to ten times the price of regular car insurance. And in most cases, it doesn’t cover bodily injury. Instead, force-placed insurance only protects the car. Failure to ensure your car can cause the bank or lending institution to repossess your car. Also, if your car insurance lapses, you may have to pay higher premiums.
When You’ve Been Injured
If you’ve been injured, and the insurance company just isn’t offering you a fair settlement, Moxie Law Group is here for you. Many times, insurance companies are looking out for their best interests, which may or may not align with your best interests. In many cases, this means offering a client a lower settlement in order to protect profit margins. At Moxie Law Group, our attorneys are dedicated to standing up to those insurance companies on behalf of our clients. We offer all potential clients a free case analysis to help them determine whether or not we can help them get the compensation they deserve. If we can help, we work on contingency, meaning you don’t pay us, until you get a settlement or judgment. If you go all the way to court and lose your case, you don’t owe us anything. If you’ve been injured and you need an attorney, contact Moxie Law Group today.
